resources

Museum Collections - Ancient Peru - Moche - Artifact #7

WHO: Moche culture

WHERE: North coast, Peru

WHEN: Early Intermediate Period/Middle Horizon, A.D. 100-700

WHAT: This vessel depicts messengers running to deliver the bundles in their hands, perhaps containing messages about the rainy season on the coast. Other rainy season imagery appears on this bottle, such as the sprouting San Pedro cactus, ferny plants and snail shells. The rainy season was very important for coastal peoples, bringing new life to the desert and water for planting crops.

HOW: Mould-made vessel with painted fineline drawing.

MUSEUM: Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. G83.1.167

Zoomify Interactive: To see an image of this artifact that you can zoom in on, click on this link: Front (Warning: This link will open in a new window)